Vietnamese Castro Restaurant Tanglad Reopens After Rodents

Tanglad, the Vietnamese restaurant at 469 Castro Street in the Castro district, has successfully reopened after addressing serious health violations that led to its closure earlier this month. The restaurant passed its reinspection on November 18, 2025, correcting all 15 violations that were identified during a routine inspection on November 3.

Serious Violations Corrected

The most concerning issue discovered during the initial inspection was evidence of vermin and pest control problems. Health inspectors found conditions that required immediate attention, as rodents can produce up to 50 droppings daily containing dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and potentially deadly hantavirus. The restaurant's operator has since provided current pest control documentation, demonstrating their commitment to maintaining a vermin-free environment. Among the critical violations corrected were severe problems with food contact surfaces cleaning. Dirty cutting boards and utensils are responsible for 76% of cross-contamination incidents in commercial kitchens. When biofilms protect harmful bacteria from proper cleaning procedures, a single contaminated surface can spread dangerous pathogens to dozens of food items served to unsuspecting customers.

Temperature Control and Equipment Issues

The inspection also revealed significant problems with food temperature control and equipment maintenance. Improper temperature controls create ideal conditions for bacterial growth, while faulty equipment can lead to dangerous situations like improper vacuum packaging that creates anaerobic environments where Clostridium botulinum can flourish. Botulism poisoning proves fatal in 5-10% of cases and causes paralysis and respiratory failure. Additional violations included problems with handwashing facilities, food preparation and storage procedures, and issues with floors, walls, and ceilings. Raw food contamination can spread Salmonella and Campylobacter throughout a kitchen, potentially affecting hundreds of customers during massive outbreak scenarios.

Comprehensive Facility Improvements

The restaurant addressed numerous operational deficiencies including warewashing facilities, equipment storage protocols, and wiping cloth procedures. Food handler card documentation was brought into compliance, ensuring all staff members meet required certification standards. Nonfood-contact surfaces were properly cleaned and sanitized, while premises maintenance issues were resolved to meet San Francisco health department standards. Inspector verification confirmed that all violations from the November 3 inspection have been thoroughly corrected. The establishment now displays a PASS placard, indicating full compliance with California Retail Food Code requirements.

Restaurant Background

Tanglad operates under Golden Dragon Pho Inc. and serves Vietnamese cuisine in the heart of the Castro district, conveniently located near Castro St Muni transit options. The restaurant can be contacted at (650) 201-3435 for customers wanting to verify current operations. This inspection represents a successful turnaround for the establishment, which had previously maintained operations without major health violations. The comprehensive remediation demonstrates the restaurant's commitment to food safety standards expected by Castro district diners and the broader San Francisco dining community. With all health violations now corrected and proper procedures in place, Tanglad has resumed normal operations under full health department compliance.